Has Covid and inflation killed pubs and clubs?

Changing times. You have to move with them or you will find it difficult to survive.

I was in a shop the other day to buy some bits and bobs and when I went to the till to pay by card they said you have to spend £5 or we can’t accept card payments. I rarely have cash on me so I unfortunately had to take my business elsewhere.

I don’t know if It’s still the case but the Linny used to have a policy where you couldn’t use your mobile, a good way to make your customers drink elsewhere.

I think only pubs with the best business models will survive in this challenging economic climate.
 
Another thing is that coffee shops are massive now as well. People go out and meet in coffee shops because they don't want a pint in the middle of the day. That wasn't a thing when I was younger so pubs are competing now with supermarkets on an evening and coffee shops during the day.

Most pubs do food now but that means they are competing with restaurants for those customers as well. There's nothing really special anymore about the pub so the food has to be very good to beat the restaurant market. If you want budget then Whetherspoons will beat most chains on price. If you are getting microwave food it might as well be from the cheapest place.

People have also been better educated and realise that drinking every day isn't healthy. The younger crowd especially are far more into going to the gym and staying fit which doesn't really mix well with drinking every day.
 
Fat_Dragon said:
I don’t know if It’s still the case but the Linny used to have a policy where you couldn’t use your mobile, a good way to make your customers drink elsewhere.
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That is/was the rule in all Sam Smiths pubs, no music, tvs or phones as they want to promote conversation between the customers.
 
When I was an apprentice at Smith’s Dock they would be two coaches put on by the company to take the men into South Bank for a pint. Could you imagine health and safety allowing that now.
 
The advent of supermarket beer in 12s and 24s at less than half the price a pint was when pubs began dying in their thousands.
Pubs are better used as live music venues, community centres, food banks and drop-ins.
Old hat.
Move on.
 
r00fie1 said:
The advent of supermarket beer in 12s and 24s at less than half the price a pint was when pubs began dying in their thousands.
Pubs are better used as live music venues, community centres, food banks and drop-ins.
Old hat.
Move on.
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Beer in supermarkets has always been cheaper than in pubs and clubs but the price of pint kept rising while supermarkets have kept their price more or less the same.
 
Pubs were great.. we need to legalise drugs to get them back!

We could bring the proper living room vibes back as well as the cool names.

‘The Arm and Needle’
‘The Bob Marley’
‘The Infinite Vibration of a Universal Subconscious Where Both Time and Location are Abstract Concepts and The Kaleidoscope of Neon Fractals are the One Pure Truth’
 
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Paying £14 for 2 double rum and cokes or £12 for two pints of cider is killing pubs and clubs

Cocktail bars seem to be doing quite well
 
Norman_Conquest said:
There was a similar article to the one below in the Guardian yesterday regarding young people going sober.

www.bbc.co.uk

Cost of living: The young people saving money by going sober

With the price of alcohol going up, young people say they're saving money by going sober.
www.bbc.co.uk
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I noticed this a while back, young lads preferring to go to the gym and drinking protein shakes rather than going to the pub.. laughing at all of us older out of shape alcoholics begging for an early death with our cigarettes never looking so uncool.

But wait.. I’m like the Fonz or John travolta right?
1673870749227.jpeg
 
newyddion said:
Pubs were great.. we need to legalise drugs to get them back!

We could bring the proper living room vibes back as well as the cool names.

‘The Arm and Needle’
‘The Bob Marley’
‘The Infinite Vibration of a Universal Subconscious Where Both Time and Location are Abstract Concepts and The Kaleidoscope of Neon Fractals are the One Pure Truth’
Click to expand...
We just need to go retro and being back opium dens.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
Beer in supermarkets has always been cheaper than in pubs and clubs but the price of pint kept rising while supermarkets have kept their price more or less the same.
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I go back to the days when you had to go to "The Offie" for take-outs and supermarkets were the size of Dee Discounts.
The advent of drive-to supermarkets and hyper markets killed the trade in wines and spirits.
Just like amazon and drive-to shopping malls have destroyed our town centres.
Its an economic and cultural shift where even "the big four" [who also screw landlords] couldnt compete.
 
I share an office with a large group of younger colleagues and you would think I was the devil when I tell them that when I was their age I was out pubbing and clubbing Thursday to Sunday. I would say half of them dont really go out at all, if they do its with their partners for a drink and a meal. they liteally cant undersand that you might go out every week with your mates partying year after year. Quite a few are actually tee total. Its definately more about keeping fit, cinema, out for dinner or more often than not staying to watch Netflix or play on thier playstation etc. completely different times now

Oh and I could not have been so off trend when I said I had "7 lads holidays in a row when I was young"......
 
This was a fixture book of the Thursday night “Teesside Clubs Lowcock Friendly League” going back to 1983 / 1984. How many of these Clubs survive today?
 

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Johnnyweetabix said:
I share an office with a large group of younger colleagues and you would think I was the devil when I tell them that when I was their age I was out pubbing and clubbing Thursday to Sunday. I would say half of them dont really go out at all, if they do its with their partners for a drink and a meal. they liteally cant undersand that you might go out every week with your mates partying year after year. Quite a few are actually tee total. Its definately more about keeping fit, cinema, out for dinner or more often than not staying to watch Netflix or play on thier playstation etc. completely different times now

Oh and I could not have been so off trend when I said I had "7 lads holidays in a row when I was young"......
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I suppose they will be healthier but the hedonistic days of the late 80s and 90s are gone. It would cost a fortune to do Thurs to sun pubs and clubs these days. When did going for a coffee become a thing for blokes to do
 
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